Can anyone explain the process please

[Carol27]

Hi, can anyone please explain how we can become terrified of something that doesn't exist in reality. My thoughts are irrational and totally bizarre, yet believeable and induce such panic. I could understand it if i was afraid of dogs, cats, snakes etc but i could work on that until brave enough to touch one but how do we get over fears of something we can't see, i started off with one irrational thought now another even more bizarre one has surfaced, i can't understand how i can get over these fears, can anyone help please, love Carol x

[Neilr1978]

I think it all gets rolling when we see or hear somthing that could happen or apply to us i.e reading that someone around your age had died or a freind being in a car crash,thats whats its like for me anyway.When these things happen it plants the seed of that could happen to me an d WHOOSH before you know it you are living in constant fear of whatever it is your worried about.I started being terrifed of having a heart attack or heart failure and to justify to myself it was possible for it to happen to someone my age(30) i would look for people around my age that had died of heart related problems.Then when you find someone it makes the fear 10 times worse.Whatever it is thats making you terrifed it would be a good idea to think" what is my evidence for me to think that this is real" then think "woulod other people think the same or could they explain it away to something else" sometimes it works for me sometimes not,but i find if you try and catch the panic when its starting(easier said than done i know) sometimes you can talk yourself back down.i hope this is of some help.

[Patty]

Hi Carol,:)

I would get terrible thoughts that make me so anxious at times. The thoughts can seem so real, you think to yourself the worst thing that could happen in a situation and then you think: 'this really is going to happen' - which then in turn can make the anxiety and panic even sronger. I would worry about them so much 'in case' that the thing that I've been thinking will happen.

I have found that it has helped me to read about other peoples' experiences of these thoughts - indeed I've found out that everyone gets these thoughts - it's just that when you're anxious that you are inclined to pay so much more attention to them & they therefore seem so real.

A good book that I have read is: 'THE IMP OF THE MIND - exploring the silent epidemic of obsessive bad thoughts' by LEE BAER.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes xx :bighug1: